Roger Goodell laid down the law once again. The NFL commissioner issued a harsh one-year suspension to New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton for his role in the team's bounty system that rewarded defensive players for laying injurious hits on opposing players.
The system's creator, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who is now with the St. Louis Rams, was suspended indefinitely by the league. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt will serve a six-game suspension.
All suspensions are without pay. Payton won't earn any of his $7.5 million salary during the ban, which begins April 1.

It's the most severe sanction for a head coach in the history of the NFL.
Payton was reportedly "stunned" by the news. "No, I'm not OK," he told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer on Wednesday afternoon.
The franchise will also have to pay a $500,00 fine and will relinquish its second-round picks in 2012 and 2013.
"Beyond the clear and continuing violations of league rules, and lying to investigators, the bounty program is squarely contrary to the league's most important initiatives — enhancing player health and safety and protecting the integrity of the game," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Let me be clear. There is no place in the NFL for deliberately seeking to injure another player, let alone offering a reward for doing so. Any form of bounty is incompatible with our commitment to create a culture of sportsmanship, fairness, and safety."

This sucks so bad. New Orleans hosts the Super Bowl this coming year and could have quite possibly made a title run. Being the scapegoat sucks, whoever snitched would be well advised to never set foot in this city again. The commissioner doesn't give two shits about players health or else he'd support retired players who suffer from numerous physical and mental handicaps due to years of "regulation" play. Not to mention, statistically the years in question are some of our cleanest games! This is the dirty souf. You come play down here you get roughed up. Everyone knows that. The money between players is a joke. "Purses" up to 10 grand amongst millionaire athletes is like me betting my pal 100 bucks. That's really why they are mad. Can't have the people who destroy their bodies to entertain us swapping money behind closed doors. The NFL likes to know what all their slaves.. er.. players are up to at all times. I was tired of all the fair-weather fan boys after we got our ring anyway. Being the under dog feels more like home.

Goodell was going to drop the mighty hammer on this because they had the Saints dead to rights and on top of it they lied to try and cover it up when caught. This is a PR move but everyone knew it was coming even though the bounty system has been going on for ages and every team was doing it in some form or fashion.

The Saints had to take the fall because they were caught redhanded and lied but every other single team in the league is thanking their lucky stars it wasn't them.